TORA NO KOKORO, Part 1: The Heart's Flames of Rage
by Valse de la Lupe
Summary: A female assassin turns up in Kenshin's village one day, with a mysterious past a past that is even more dangerous than her katana. Will she be able to save herself from her own destructionwreaking technique, or will she slowly cause her own demise?
1. Mouse and Kestrel

**Tora no Kokoro: A Tiger's Heart**  
**Part 1: "Kokoro no Hono'o no Gekido The Heart's Flames of Rage"  
or "Tora no Ki The Tiger's Return"**  
_By Valse de la Lupe (SesshysSheWolf/Jessica Morris)_

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER ONE  
Mouse and Kestrel  
**

* * *

_I'm just a girl, nothing more._  
_ I'm nobody's daughter, or wife._  
_ But does that mean you can just toss me away?_  
_ Even a killer has feelings. _

* * *

The young woman paused for a moment, keen bright-emerald eyes studying the small village before her. A quiet, sheltered town, where no one had seen fighting or killing for years, since the Revolution, where no one would know a murder if they saw it with their own two eyes. That would come in handy, if she was summoned here for the reasons she thought she was. Very handy. The woman smiled faintly and touched the katana' at her waist. They were as unsuspecting as the mouse was to the kestrel swooping down from above to catch it in its talons. 

Her smile faded. As unsuspecting, true, but also as innocent. Was it really right to kill harmless people...? She beat the thought down before it could raise a protest. It was her job to do, and never mind what - or who - was involved.

She had learned long ago that should never care for others. Because when you finally collect the pieces of your shattered heart after years of searching and waiting and hoping that the pain would end...

You let down your guard for an instant, and they scattered the pieces once more, taking it all away from you again.

People were there for either hiding among, working for, or taking down, depending on the situation; and she was just there to carry out orders, nothing more and nothing less.

A small breeze blew across the path, just enough to blow a few strands of her red-orange hair across her emerald eyes and to make her gray-blue hakama' flutter. She never wore the flowery kimonos' that other women wore - unless she had need to get close to a man to kill him - for they slowed movement when one needed speed, and created problems with turning when agility was a necessity. There probably wouldn't be a need for open fighting here - unless her current employer came short of the price or decided she was too dangerous to keep around; that had happened several times before, and she did not want to repeat something like it again and attract attention to herself - but she still would rather be prepared for anything.

She reached behind her back, feeling to make sure that the katana strapped across her back was still there - not that it would be missing, of course; it was just comforting to touch one's katana, sometimes. The katana at her waist was actually a sakabatou', a reverse-blade sword, one that at worst could break bones; she used that one for fighting when she needed to be inconspicuous, or when she needed a victim kept alive. The one on her back, however, was a steel-sharp katana; one that was used in assassinations, and when someone got in her way and she didn't need to hide her identity or skill. The woman did not kill excessively - if you killed too much, the pleasure of it was wasted; eventually the joy would diminish, until it ended completely, and one would become a cold-hearted killer, not valuing life - or death - in the slightest; that was where one changed from assassin to Manslayer. But she valued both equally. One could not be without the other.

The woman walked on, toward the village:

A she-tiger, waiting for the hunt to begin.

* * *

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! I've finally gotten some time to update some of my fanfictions (AP history and French have been a killer the past few months), and I decided that this fic would be the first to be revived! Not only am I updating the chapters already posted here, but I also should have some brand new chapters ready within the week!  
Also, I have added a completely new section, the chapter entitled "Yougojiten: Glossary", in which many Japanese words, terms, names, and phrases are explained in this section. I've tried to mark the terms with a ' sign (for example: hakama' ). Remember, this fanfic assumes that you have a fair knowledge of Japanese terms, so if there are any words you are unsure about, or you want to know the meaning of any of the characters' names, just click to the last chapter and you should find all you need to know, from "katana" to "souba" to "Shizutora".  
And please feel free to comment, let me know if I've made any mistakes, or make any suggestions for future chapters!

* * *


	2. Not a Normal Woman

**Tora no Kokoro: A Tiger's Heart**  
**Part 1: "Kokoro no Hono'o no Gekido The Heart's Flames of Rage"**  
**or "Tora no Ki The Tiger's Return"**  
_By Valse de la Lupe (SesshysSheWolf/Jessica Morris)_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**  
**Not a Normal Woman**

* * *

_I'm just trying to find my way,  
In a world where nobody gives a damn  
Whether a young girl's hopes and dreams are destroyed  
All I really want is for someone to care._

* * *

Sanosuke' Sagara' sat lazily on the front steps of the small inn where he was staying, a straw reed sticking out to one side of his mouth. At least, to the average person's eye he was lazy. In truth, he was a spring, ready to leap into action in an instant. He did not need a weapon - his own two fists would do. 

Casually glancing across the street, he sat up quickly at what he saw. The red-haired young woman had not been there an instant before, and there was not another person to be seen in the streets besides the occasional merchant or villager. It was not just her sudden appearance that caught his eye; she wore not a kimono or yukata' but a hakama and white haori', and was carrying a katana - no, _two _katanas, for the one on her back - in broad daylight! The ban on katanas had been so for years - not that he or Kenshin' followed it, of course - but it was exceptionally surprising to see a woman with a katana, much less two, and disobeying so openly.

Sano opened his mouth to hail her, but at that moment six men approached her, not looking friendly in the slightest bit, and all of them had katanas. That was never a good sign.

"You, girl," said one who appeared to be the leader. "The boss wants to see you now."

_She's probably an escaped prostitute_, Sano thought.

The woman looked not the slightest bit perturbed by the men. She simply glanced at them with a cool, knowing gaze.

"I shall see him later. I have things to do," she said calmly. "And do not call me 'girl'."

The woman tickled the back of Sano's mind. There was something very familiar about her, but he couldn't say what...

The leader laughed.

"Oh ho ho," he said, "so the little girly is busy, is she? When the boss says now, he means now."

He started to draw his katana, but the woman darted her hand forward and twisted it, holding its hilt down and to the side so that he could not draw it. He snarled at her, and the others drew their katanas and advanced. Sano rose to help her, but stopped and stared as she twisted around and kicked one man's katana out of his hand. Her katana - which Sano noticed, incredibly, was actually a sakabatou - was suddenly in her hands, and she dodged the attacks aimed at her easily. The leader had finally managed to draw his katana, the other man had picked his up again, and the six of them formed a half-circle around her, trying to back her against a building. The woman suddenly stood still and raised her sakabatou high, in a stance that Sano had never seen before. She bent her knees slightly and slashed thrice with her sakabatou as she rushed forward, past the men. She stopped, her back to them, and sheathed her sakabatou without even glancing back to make sure her opponents were defeated. All six men fell in unison behind her.

"I said not to call me 'girl'," she said. She threw a look over her shoulder and clicked her tongue in disgust. "Common thieves and muggers not even worthy of my Fang', much less Toramune'."

She walked on calmly without so much as glancing back again. Sano stared. Where had she learned something like _that_? Was she of samurai' blood? He suddenly realized why he had thought she was familiar. The hair, the sakabatou - Sano was taken aback once again. She was like a female version of Kenshin!

"Hey, wait a second there, missy!" Sano said, running after her.

The woman paused. When Sano came within an arm's length of her, however, she unsheathed her sakabatou and, without turning or even looking, had it pointed directly at his heart, before he could react at all. Sano had to stop, lest he ran into it. The woman glanced over her shoulder at him.

"I do not appreciate being called that, or any other name that indicates weakness based on gender. Say it again and you will find yourself like those six men," she said. "Or would you like to test my skill?"

"Whoa there, miss...ah...my good lady," Sano said, raising his hands. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Lucky for you," the woman said, with a hint of amusement. "Though you look the type not easily defeated. I might actually have to try. It would be interesting to fight you some time. With a katana, or bare hands, since you don't seem to have a katana; either is good for me."

"Eh, no thanks," Sano said. _She might even have to try?_ This woman must be crazy! "I would feel kind of guilty fighting against a wom-"

He cut off as the woman flipped her sakabatou around and poked him, hard, in the chest with its hilt.

"Let's get one thing straight," she said, looking him in the eye and continuing to jab him with the hilt. "Never think that just because I am a woman, I am weak. It is one of the worst mistakes you can make, and quite possibly the last. Got it?"

"Uh...sure," Sano said uncertainly, raising his eyebrows. The woman was even quicker to offence than Kaoru' was, and that was saying a lot.

"Good," she said, sheathing her sakabatou faster than the eye could see. "Farewell."

She walked on again.

"Hey, wait! At least tell me your name or something...!"

The woman stopped, suddenly cold.

"I left my name behind long ago. You may call me Mii'."

Sano stared after her. That was just like something Kenshin had said, when they had first met. Very odd. The woman...Mii...disappeared around a corner, but when Sano looked, she was nowhere in sight. Maybe he could ask Kenshin about her. He put his hands in his pockets and started walking back to the Kamiya' dojo'.

Mii was not a normal woman.

* * *

Author's Note: Yes! The second chapter is edited and in place! The third chapter should be updated soon (possibly within the day), followed by the fourth, fifth, and sixth ones. Then I'll finally be able to submit the newest chapter. I've also updated the glossary, so if you're unsure of some of the terms or want to know what the characters' names mean, then you can look it up.  
As always, comments, reviews, and suggestions are welcome. 


	3. Agreements

**Tora no Kokoro: A Tiger's Heart  
Part 1: "Kokoro no Hono'o no Gekido: The Heart's Flames of Rage"  
or "Tora no Ki: The Tiger's Return"**  
_By Valse de la Lupe (SesshysSheWolf/Jessica Morris)_

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**  
** Agreements**

* * *

_I know that I'm living a lie._  
_ Though I say I kill for the joy of killing,_  
_ I'm really just trying to prove that I'm strong._  
_ But, in fact, the opposite is true._

* * *

Miyuko' Shizuyo' walked calmly into the dark room of the inn where she was staying. She saw the man in the corner, deep within the shadows, out of the corner of her eye, but pretended that she did not. She also saw the small knife he had out. Casually tossing her sakabatou down, she sat cross-legged on a futon' on the floor, with her back to the man. She disliked the man, a short, balding figure with a bagging haori top, before he even opened his mouth. 

"I said that I would see you tomorrow. Sending men after me does not assure me of your trust." Miyuko said. She heard the man gasp slightly in surprise. "Put your knife away. I won't try to kill you, contrary to what the rumors say. I don't want to flaunt my identity, as you can probably guess - if you're not as stupid as your subordinates. I only dealt with them the way I did because they found it interesting to laugh at me. I do not take kindly to insults."

"You really are the Shizutora', then."

Miyuko nodded curtly.

"Good, good, I had to be sure." He bobbed his head in what she assumed was supposed to be a respectful bow. "I have a job for you: an assassination. I will pay you three times what I would usually pay for any other target."

"Before you tell me of it, I have a certain condition I follow," Miyuko said. "I never kill a man or woman who is to be wed in the near future. If you don't agree, I'll take my services elsewhere."

"Interesting. Is it based, perhaps, on personal experience?" said the man with a sneer. Miyuko found herself wanting to lash out at him - what right did he have to speak of her past, a past he knew nothing about? - but she forced herself to remain calm. He continued, "This job, however, does not break your little rule."

"You have a description of this person?"

"He is young-looking, with red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek," the man said, his voice hard. "You cannot mistake him. He is staying somewhere in this village – in the old Kamiya dojo beyond town, I believe – but he is hard to keep track of."

"Very well," said Miyuko. "I'll be finished in three days' time, by dawn. I expect my payment then."

"Yes, yes, you shall have your yen'," said the man. "But I must warn you, he is dangerous. Here he is known under a different name, but in truth he is Hito-"

"Don't tell me," interrupted Miyuko. "I prefer not to know the names of those I kill." She stood and casually stroked her katana. "Now, I think it is about time for you to leave."

"I've heard that you've never been defeated when it comes to fighting," said the man, rising.

_Almost true,_ Miyuko thought bitterly.

"...So hopefully you will be more effective than my last hired killer. If anyone can kill this man, I know it is you, Lady Battousai."

A flash of rage shot through Miyuko, and her katana was out and against the man's throat in half an instant.

"Never call me by that name unless you'd care to visit the underworld," she hissed. "I will not kill you this time. But speak that name in my presence again and you will not be so lucky."

"I see you dislike the name, and the one who owns it, too, perhaps?" he sneered again, and Miyuko pushed him away in disgust, afraid that she would actually kill him. She could almost feel the grime from all of his past underhand dealings and schemes. "You are more suited to this job than I thought you would be." He inclined his head in parting.

Miyuko was silent as he left, but she glared after him until he disappeared in the market. Miyuko hated that name. She was not like that cold-blooded killer, Hitokiri' Battousai' the Manslayer. She would have absolutely nothing to do with him! She was the Shizutora, nothing more or less.

Miyuko sighed. She should have killed the man - he was the first to call her that to her face and live - but then she would have had to find another job, something she really didn't feel like doing at the time. Besides, she needed the money - it was almost more than she could afford to keep this room at the inn for another few nights. Once she was paid she would have enough money to move on to the next town she was summoned to, and then she would be paid and move on to the next, and thus continue the never-ending cycle. Her few days of relaxation would not come until Spring, when she would return to her small residence in Yokohama to enjoy the cycle of the sakura'.

But what had happened to the man's previous hired assassin? Had he - or she - been defeated by her current target, the red-haired man? Well, surely he could not be as skilled as she. It was not boasting, just a simple fact. People had said she was second only to the Battousai in skill, if not, equal. But...no matter. There was work to be done.


	4. A Sweet Young Lady

**Tora no Kokoro: A Tiger's Heart**  
**Part 1: "Kokoro no Hono'o no Gekido The Heart's Flames of Rage"  
or "Tora no Ki The Tiger's Return"**  
_By Valse de la Lupe (SesshysSheWolf/Jessica Morris)_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**  
**A Sweet Young Lady**

**

* * *

**_Why does this weak heart stay me so?  
I want to slash it out,  
And watch my other self slowly perish!  
...But then I truly would be an ogre._

_

* * *

_

"She took down _six_ men," Kaoru said skeptically, "with a _sakabatou_?"

"Hey, don't look at me that way, all right?" Sano said defensively. "She did! Her hair was red and her eyes... What? You don't believe me?" He moved out of the way of a street merchant who was peddling his cart along down the busy street of the marketplace. It was midday, and many people had begun to gather for lunch; but (since Kaoru was on a saving-money fling, like usual) the group would have to go home and endure her..."interesting"...brand of cooking instead of enjoying a nice, hot beef pot' at Akabeko'.

"It's not exactly that we don't believe you," Yahiko' said. "Me an' miss ugly over there just think you were drunk."

"_Who_'s ugly?" Koaru said as Sano said, "I wasn't drunk!"

"You little punk—" Sano and said in unison, both grabbing the back of Yahiko's hakama-shita.

"Now, now," said Kenshin, smiling slightly and raising his hands. "There is no need to be angry, that there isn't. I'm sure we can come to an agreement—"

"Who included you, Mister Perfect?" Kaoru said, rounding on Kenshin. She looked ready to bite his head off.

"Oro'!" Kenshin said, raising his hands again, this time in submission. "This one just meant that it could be possible that she is real." He lowered his hands. "But this one wonders whom she is. Women who dare to openly carry a real blade are rare these days, and female rurouni' are even rarer."

"There are female rurouni?" Yahiko asked.

"Yes," replied Kenshin. His eyes were unfocused, as though recalling something from long ago. "They were once the women samurai and kunoichi' during the war, which were few to start with, but after and during the Revolution most were killed or became wives and gave up their fighting ways."

"Sou'..." said Koaru, as Yahiko said "Wow, female rurouni!"

"Sa te'! At least _someone_ believes me," muttered Sano, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly feeling eyes on him, Sano glanced across the street—he thought he had seen a flash of red hair and defiant green eyes. He blinked. He was probably just imagining things, but...it was better safe than sorry.

* * *

Miyuko glanced quickly around the corner again, across the street. 

"Che'!" She cursed softly.

The red-haired man was gone. Miyuko halfway reached to stroke her sakabatou (a habit she had when she was particularly irritated) before she stopped herself. She was cool, calm, collected. However...the tall man had almost seen her—or had he?—which would have led to suspicion, something Miyuko could not afford at that time. She was going soft, letting herself slip like that! Curse it all; wearing her furisode', something necessary for being invisible in the middle of crowds, instead of her hakama always made her more anxious than normal due to its restraint of movement. _Where have they gone, anyway?_

"Where have who gone, dear?"

Miyuko very nearly jumped; she must have said that last part out loud. Turning around, however, she saw that it was only a grandmotherly old woman, carrying a small basket of produce.

"Oh, it's nothing. I must have mistaken him for someone else," Miyuko said, smiling innocently. Questions could be traced back to her.

The elderly woman chuckled warmly.

"Oh, believe me; I saw the way you were looking at that tall fellow. But you shouldn't get mixed up with the likes of him; he was a fighter-for-hire, so I here," the woman walked on. She added, "I don't think he's right for a sweet, pretty young lady like yourself, dear, being so violent and all. He's not one to go doe-eyed over."

Miyuko stared, wide-eyed, as the woman bowed her head then disappeared around the corner. The woman thought she liked...? Miyuko blinked. She had not been doe-eyed...had she? Of course not! The foolish old hag! Was it not unusual to look at someone with such a strange appearance? He had the _aku_' kanji' written on the back of his coat, after all—another partial similarity between them—and there were few men as tall as he. There were plenty of other reasons to look at him.

He was a fighter-for-hire, the woman had said. He was much like herself, then, and his _aku_ kanji was another tie between them. But the woman had also said that Miyuko was "a sweet young lady." If the woman only knew how many countless lives she had taken, how many liters of blood had been spilled by her katana. Miyuko very nearly laughed aloud; though it would have been bitterly, it also would have been the first she had laughed in years. Her laughter had nearly stopped, ever since...

No! She would not think of it! She gritted her teeth, regaining her coolly aloof stance. She had a job to do, and when Miyuko Shizuyo started a job, she always finished it.

Suddenly she saw the red-haired man, the pretty young woman, and the energetic boy emerge from a shop across the street. Miyuko quickly hid herself and followed them with her eyes.

Once they were far enough ahead that they would not notice her, Miyuko started off after them at a casual pace, stopping here and there to pretend to inspect products from random stands and merchants. Miyuko had worn her furisode, an iris-printed lavender one with a violet obi', today just for this purpose: blending in to the crowd. (However, she refused to blend in to the point of being vulnerable; her sakabatou was at her side, as usual, and her katana was strapped vertically on her back, hanging just below her bunko-taiko'.) This time she made sure to stay to the sides of the road. She trailed them until they left the village, crossing a bridge and heading down a quiet road.

Miyuko had to stop there, lest they see her. She watched them until they were out of sight. So the red-haired man was staying at the dojo after all. That would make her job easier; it was much better than the asset of her typical targets, a mansion with a full team of security guards with rifles. The Silent Tiger would strike on this night.

Miyuko turned to go back to her inn, but found herself face-to-face with the tall man once again.

"You..." She narrowed her eyes. He _had_ noticed her, curse it all. "Why are you following me?"

"Why are _you_ watching _us_?" he shot back. "You've been doing it all day."

"I haven't been—" Miyuko _hmph_ed irately. It was obvious that this man would not be satisfied with excuses. "My business is my own."

"Not when it involves us," he said firmly. "_Why_ are you watching us?"

"You really don't want to mess with me, yarou'—" she began.

"The name is Sanosuke Sagara."

"It makes no difference. Don't get involved or you'll get hurt." She menacingly caressed her sakabatou, something she had been doing a lot lately.

"I...doubt that." Sanosuke dismissed her threat with a wave of his hand, grinning blithely. "You look nice in a furisode." He made reference to her obvious disadvantage—being in a very restricting garment—should she try anything on him. In other words, he was insinuating that she was weak. Again.

"KUSOYAROU'!" Her fists were clenched and she was practically shouting now; the man had a talent for causing her to loose her cool. She took a breath and made an effort to control her volume, though she still glared at him. "...Tsume o kakusu'. Besides, I just told you _yesterday_ not to think I am weak because I'm a woman! You saw what I did to those men. And I believe it was YOU who refused to fight ME, _not_ the other way around."

"I don't fight women," Sanosuke said. "_No_ respectable man would fight a woman."

"So...then respectable women don't fight men? You're saying that I'm not respectable?" Miyuko quirked an eyebrow at him. If he was going to mock her, then she was certainly going to return the favor.

"Well...uh...you're an escaped prostitute, aren't you?"

Miyuko was momentarily dumbfounded. She quickly regained use of her tongue, however. "Where the _hell_ would you get an idea like that?"

"Why else would there be hired men chasing after you?"

"Is there a brain in that bird-head of yours, Sagara? Maybe I'm a run-away bride-to-be...or...something."

"So you're not a prostitute? Not even a private one?"

"No, I'm not," she said firmly. "And don't change the subject! You're just making excuses because you're too afraid to fight me. You're exactly like every other gutless foo—HEY!"

Miyuko flushed in anger, spun around and snatched at the back of the haori' of the man who had just brushed his hand against the back of her furisode, but she failed to factor in the heavy sleeves of her furisode and misjudged the distance of her reach; the man took off as fast as he could. She chose to ignore the man and return to lecturing Sagara, but a feeling of lightness alerted her to the fact that something was missing. She checked to make sure her bunko-taiko was still fastened correctly. But wait...where was...? Her katana!

"He—he took Toramune!" She whipped around again, this time almost frantically, searching the crowd. All thoughts of keeping her identity unknown slipped from her mind as she spotted the man, clutching her precious katana, already nearly across the bridge.

Her hands flew to draw the end of her furisode above her knees. Heedless of the people who stopped to stare, Miyuko chased the man down and seized him; she had him pinned down in a manner of seconds, and wrestled the katana out of his thickset hands. The lowlife's small, dark eyes looked up at her in fear as she shoved Toramune's sheath down hard against his neck.

"P-please, d-d-don't kill m-me...!" he gasped.

"Why did you try to steal this? Who sent you?" Miyuko pressed down harder and the man's eyes widened in fright.

"N-no one, M-m-miss, I...I needed m-money, and—"

"...You thought a helpless girl would make a good victim?" she prodded.

The pickpocket was silent, eyes darting about for a way of escape. Miyuko's mind was clouded; all thoughts had been covered by a dark and angry fog—all thoughts besides those of killing this man who had dared to touch her Toramune.

"Well, if you hadn't chosen the way of the coward, you may still have had the chance to live right now." She gently slid Toramune out of its sheath, laying its blade against the man's neck. The man made a horrified choking noise. She whispered softly, "Die."

Strong hands pulled her back, away from the petrified crook. She fully unsheathed Toramune and tugged out of the person's grip, turned 'round, and found herself facing Sagara again. Miyuko felt a pang of sharp indignity. "You—!"

"Calm down, Mii," Sanosuke said, carefully moving so that he was in between the frightened man and Miyuko. "You got your sword back, so there's no harm done."

"You dare interfere with my business? This _scum_ has committed a crime, and now he will die for it. If you don't move, then you die as well." She raised her katana into an offensive position, demonstrating that she would not back down.

"Mii," Sanosuke muttered, "you might want to consider where you are."

The furious cloud covering her mind began to dissipate as she espied the small crowd of people who had gathered nearby, watching from a safe distance. The harsh sound of their murmuring, as they gestured and glanced askew at her and Sagara, resembled the cackling of ravens. While Miyuko's back was turned the pickpocket took the opportunity to escape into the crowd. Out of reflex she moved to chase after the man, but Sagara darted forward to grab her wrist. He gently yet firmly led her through the crowd, beyond the bridge, and out of sight of the townspeople; Miyuko let herself be steered along, trying desperately to bury her anger within herself.

* * *

Once Sanosuke was sure they were not being followed he pulled Mii to the side of the river-side path and released her arm. He studied her carefully, still alarmed at the complete change that had come over her just a few moments ago. It was hard for him to believe that this seemingly gentle—though temperamental—young woman had managed to transform into a near-murderer, right in front of his eyes. 

"Okay...you wanna explain what got into you back there?" he demanded.

A flicker of fire appeared in her eyes at his tone, but she remained silent.

"It's one thing to carry a sword around, but drawing one in public—and threatening to _kill_ someone—is something else. You're lucky there weren't any police around; I don't know what they do to women, but they _hang_ men who do that!"

"He deserved to die," she said, as though he hadn't spoken at all.

"How can you say that?" said Sano strongly. "All he did was take your sword, and he didn't even manage _that_ properly."

"He _defiled_ Toramune," she corrected, glaring at him, "and what right do you have to judge my actions?"

"Killing anyone for any reason is _wrong_," he said firmly.

"Why?" Her anger faded away into impatience. "Why do people think it's so wrong to kill? It isn't wrong to squash an ant that bites you, so why not a human?" She looked away. "Life is ephemeral. People die every day by the thousands, so one more doesn't matter; the deserving will be reborn into a better life...and the rest into maggots'."

Sanosuke shook his head, and spoke with rising emotion. "You just don't get it. That man—he may be just a crook, but his life is still worth something, at least to those who know him. The value of a human life is _much_ greater than that of any katana."

"You don't know what this katana is." Mii held Toramune up and gently slid it out of its sheath, letting the sunlight reflect down its length. "Toramune—it's...all I have left of him."

"'Him'?" Sano prompted.

"My late fiancé," she said simply, her fierce glower softening for the slightest of instants as she gazed at her katana. But after a moment the new warmth in her emerald eyes faded until they again mirrored the cold gleam of the blade. "He may have been stolen, but I will protect his sword with my life. _Es ist mein schatz_'"

Sanosuke didn't quite know how to respond to that. "...You know German?"

"A bit." Sighing, Mii sheathed Toramune. "I have work that needs doing..."

Sanosuke stepped aside and gestured toward the path. "Just don't get in any more swordfights, okay?"

"I know that." Mii glanced patronizingly up at him, somehow making him feel as though _she_ were the taller one, though she barely came to his shoulder. But then she lowered her eyes, gazing less-than-humbly at her feet. "However... I am in your debt. If you had not stopped me, I probably would have completely lost myself."

Sano blinked. How could she speak so politely when her eyes were telling him to get the hell away from her? "Um...it was no trouble or anything..." This was not something he would have foreseen five minutes ago. What was up with this girl? She must be insane.

"So...what would you have me do?" Mii still glared at him. Sano was pretty sure that if he asked anything stupid she would just have at him with her sword and then walk away like nothing happened, but he wanted to mess with her one last time.

"I'll take a rain check on that offer," he said, "meaning that we'll have to meet again. So... Ja ne'!"

He turned before she could respond, hurrying to catch up to Kenshin and the others before they had eaten the _entire_ meal.

* * *

Miyuko silently watched Sagara's _aku_ mark disappear down the empty road, probably to re-join his friends...one of whom she would shortly be killing. She sighed, trying to get rid of the seldom-felt emotion that was developing in the pit of her stomach. She walked carefully across the road to the riverbank, watching the leaves swirl together in a final dance before landing like dragonflies upon the water. Her own mirrored image gazed back at her as she knelt by the water's edge. 

"Why," she asked her other self, "does this dread grow inside of me?"

She caressed the water's surface with one finger, disrupting and finally completely breaking up the reflection of herself that she hated so much. Frustrated, she stood, turning back toward the village and her inn.

"I really need some _sake_'..."

* * *

Author's Note: Four chapters down, and a bunch more to go... ;; I've updated the glossary, as usual, so if you're unsure of some of the terms or want to know what the characters' names mean, then you can look it up in the pseudo-chapter in the back of the fanfic. And, as usual, comments, reviews, suggestions, and questions are welcome!  
In other news, school is out! Now that I've finally finished up French class, I can start on German or Spanish next year. Woot! J'aime les langues beaucoup! ; 

Also, I've started planning out Part Two of "To-no-Ko" (saying "Tora no Kokoro" every time gets annoying). I've decided that there _will_ be three parts to it. After Part One ends, Part Two will have to do with _all_ of Miyuko's past, not just the little inserts that have been put into this part of the fic (so everyone will understand why Miyuko does the things she does). Following that, Part Three will continue and end Miyuko's present adventures.


	5. Flowers of Innocence

KEY: *italics/ thoughts* ^^^flashback^^^ ~see glossary at end for definition~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: Hana no Junshin [Flowers of Innocence]  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
^^^The four-and-a-half-year-old girl laughed aloud as her older brother chased her through the flower fields near the hill by their house. Her bright red hair had come partially loose from the pink ribbon holding it up, and her pink-and-purple yukata had numerous grass-stains smeared across the knees and front.  
  
"You'll never catch me, ~onii-chan~!" she called over her shoulder.  
  
"Yes I will, ~Jun-chan~!" her brother's voice came from somewhere close, but out of sight.  
  
But even as he said the last word, ~Junshin~ spotted a particularly bright orange flower, and bent to pick it. It reminded her of the color of mother's best kimono that she used to wear for outings. Every seventh day, she and father would leave Junshin and her onii-chan at home to go visit friends.  
  
But one day they never came back.  
  
Her onii-chan had finally told Junshin to stay put, and went into town to see if he could find them. When he came back, he sadly explained to Junshin that they were very sick, and wouldn't be coming home for a few days.  
  
They died a week later.  
  
That had been two months ago. Ever since then, she and her brother had lived alone in their old hut, waiting until he was big enough to get a job somewhere, maybe harvesting rice.  
  
Junshin missed her parents dearly. Suddenly angry, she tossed away the flower and rose to go back to the tiny house.  
  
"Found you!"  
  
Junshin's ten-year-old brother leaped from seemingly out of nowhere and tickled her in the ribs. Junshin collapsed in a heap of giggles, trying to talk while he tickled her mercilessly.  
  
"No, stop!" Giggle. "Onii-chan, don't do that!" Giggle. "No fair, I wasn't ready!"  
  
She burst into laughter again. Shin-chan jumped away and started running again.  
  
"You're it!" he called back.  
  
"Hey!" Junshin called. "I'm gonna get you for that!"  
  
She raced ahead. Seeing a flash of her brother's red hair, she slowed down and tried to sneak up on him. But she was confused at what she saw. Her brother was standing at the head of the hill that looked over the hut where they lived, stock-still and staring.  
  
"What's the matter, onii-chan?"  
  
He didn't answer, just kept looking downward. Junshin frowned at her brother's lack of playfulness and looked down, too. She gasped at what she saw.  
  
"Onii-chan! Why are there men down there? And why do they have swords?" She looked again. "They have guns, too!"  
  
"Hush, Jun-chan. I don't know why they're here, but they probably just want to talk." He smiled reassuringly. "I'm going to go find out what they want. You wait here until I come back."  
  
"But I want to go with you!" She looked up at her brother. "I'm scared, onii-chan!"  
  
"No, ~otomo~. You need to hide right here and wait." He patted Junshin head and smiled again. "Don't worry, everything will be okay."  
  
"Do you promise you'll come back?" She tried to wipe a tear out of her eye before onii-chan could see.  
  
"I promise, Jun-chan. Now hide in the bushes and don't come out unless I tell you to."  
  
Once Junshin had hidden herself behind a screen of underbrush, he turned and began walking down the hill. Almost immediately, however, several of the men spotted him, drew their swords, and approached him. She was too far away to overhear their discussion, but she could tell that the men were not being friendly. Junshin was horrified when two men grabbed her onii-chan by the arms and tried to tie his hands.  
  
"Onii-chan!" Junshin pushed out of the bushes and called out to her brother. "Let go of him!"  
  
"No, Junshin!" Shin-chan tried to distract the men, but they noticed her anyway. "Run! Head to the village!"  
  
Junshin hesitated for just a second, but it was enough for one man to point a gun at her and another to put one to her onii-chan's back.  
  
"Don't move an inch, girl, or I'll shoot!" said the one pointing the gun at her brother. Junshin stopped dead, eyes wide with fear.  
  
"No, don't listen, Junshin! Run! Go to the vil-"  
  
His cries were muffled as the man covered her brother's mouth with his hand.  
  
"Come here quick, girl, and we'll go easy on you," the man said. "Now, or we'll come and get you!"  
  
Junshin took a deep breath. "Will you let onii-chan go?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Onii-chan! My brother," Junshin said, pointing. "I'll only come if you let him go and promise not to hurt him!"  
  
"Of course," said the man, smiling in a sickly-sweet way. "We would never hurt him. Now come down here."  
  
"No, let onii-chan go first!"  
  
"But how will we know that you'll come down here? You might run away, and then we'd be very sad."  
  
"Well...okay, but only if you promise!"  
  
Junshin began to climb down the hill. Her brother, however, managed to get his mouth uncovered for an instant.  
  
"Junshin, they're tricking you! Go, now!"  
  
"Quiet, boy!" the man said, aiming his gun at Junshin.  
  
"NO!" Shin-chan leaped on top of him, trying to move the gun away. He called to Junshin as he struggled. "Junshin, run to the village, and no matter what happens, don't stop until you get there! Now! Promise you won't stop! Please, Junshin!"  
  
"I promise," Junshin shouted, turning around and running back up the slope.  
  
She made it to the top of the hill and looked back for an instant. The men weren't chasing her any more, but she thought that they were getting Shin-chan. It was too far away for Junshin to see properly. Suddenly, she heard a gunshot and saw a small figure fall.  
  
"No! Onii-chan!!!"  
  
Junshin took a step toward her brother, but slipped on the grass. The ground came rushing up to meet her, and her head hit something hard and solid. After that came nothing but darkness and nightmares of Shin-chan dissolving into thin air, amidst a river of bullets...^^^  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
^^^Junshin awoke slowly. She was in a dark room so she couldn't see very well, but she felt a futon beneath her. She tried to sit up, but her head throbbed and her eyes watered.  
  
"Oww," she exclaimed, rubbing her head, which made it hurt even more. "Oww, oww, oww..."  
  
"~Shojo-chan~? Are you all right, dear?"  
  
"Mmm?" Junshin looked up, and saw a middle-aged woman wearing a servant's ~montsuki~ leaning over her futon and holding a candle.  
  
"Are you all right? You have quite a nasty bump on your head, dear. Here, this should help," the woman set the candle down on a low table, and pressed a cool cloth to Junshin's forehead.  
  
"But – who are you?" Junshin asked. "I don't..."  
  
"Never you mind, dear. I work for Master ~Hachisu~, the local government official, and he'll be taking care of you from now on."  
  
"What?" Junshin was confused. Her throbbing head made it hard to think, but she thought that there was something she should be doing... something very important. "No thank you, I need to go and look for someone: my onii...oni-cha... His name is Shin...Sh..." the name was slipping away from her, as well as the memory.  
  
"That's very nice, dear," The woman said, pulling off Junshin's torn yukata, and slipping a brand-new kimono made of silk over her head, splashing images of toys, ribbons, and flowers eternally marching across the front and sides. "But we must get you nice and pretty and clean for now."  
  
"But what happened? How did I get this bump?" Junshin winced as the new kimono brushed against the wound above her left ear.  
  
"Oh, you poor dear," the woman said soothingly. "Master Hachisu found you out in the middle of nowhere while he was out riding, with blood and dirt all over you. He brought you back here, and said that he was going to take care of you."  
  
"Oh." Junshin said softly. "But I don't want to live here, I've got to search for...for..." The name was gone. Junshin suddenly felt a great sense of loss, and sadness welled up within her. She began to cry, not even knowing what she was crying about.  
  
"What's all this?" a male voice asked commandingly. A tall man with dark brown hair and a large moustache had entered the room. Junshin stopped crying a little.   
  
"Ahh, so it's our little mystery girl, and she's awake, too!" He smiled warmly. "What's your name, little one?"  
  
"Junshin, ~Hachisu-san~," she said politely. "But I want to go home, and..."  
  
"Nonsense!" said the man. "Oh, you will call me ~chichi-ue~ from now on. And we'll have to find you a proper name. Junshin just isn't proper for an officer's daughter. We shall call you... ~Kimiyo~. Yes, that seems about right. Kimiyo ~Takasen-Hachisu~-"  
  
"NO! I don't want to change my name!" Junshin shouted, frustrated that no one seemed to be listening to her. "And I don't want to live with you, either! I just want to go home!"  
  
The man was quiet for a few moments. "Please leave us, Maruko-san."  
  
The serving woman bowed and left.  
  
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Kimiyo." Hachisu said. "The only house within miles of where I found you was just a burned-down old hut. And even if the living there was suitable, I've already adopted you as my daughter and heir."  
  
"Adopted...?" Junshin wiped away her tears and sniffing. "Does that mean you'll take care of me? Forever?"  
  
"That's about right," said Hachisu, smiling. "What do you think, Kimiyo?"  
  
"Well..." Junshin - Kimiyo – looked into the smiling man's face, and felt a small bit of warmth spread. Surely this nice man would take care of her. "Okay...I guess..."  
  
The middle-aged man picked up the candle and held out his hand to Junshin.  
  
"Come along, now, Kimiyo, we have to sort out some things."  
  
"Okay, chichi-ue."  
  
Kimiyo smiled at her new father and took his hand.  
  
But she still felt an incredible feeling of sorrow in the bottom of her heart... And, though her inexperienced emotions did not recognize it, there was a hair's worth of anger...^^^  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Miyuko woke suddenly, and sat up.  
  
"Wha...what?" she muttered, eyes slightly larger than usual in puzzlement. "That... that was Hachisu-san... And Maruko..."  
  
She stood and drank some water from one of two nearby jugs, then leaned against the wall. She wore only her nagajuban, a thin type of yukata used as an undergarment, which was cut off a few inches above the knees to allow for extra movement. The night air chilled her skin and rose goosebumps along her arms and legs, but she made no move to dress further.  
  
*Why?* She reached for the water-jug again, but decided instead on the other. She sipped some ~sake~ and let it warm her. *I haven't allowed myself to think of them for years. So, why now? I was so sure that was Maruko, and...Hachisu.*  
  
"The fool," Miyuko smirked. "I don't know why I didn't see it then. The stupid, biased one. Just like all officials, neh?"  
  
She laughed grimly and downed the rest of the sake jug's contents and sat back down on her futon. She lay there, wrapped in black humor and sorrow, comforted only by the sake.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
-onii-chan: a friendly or familiar was of saying older brother  
  
-chan: added on to the end of a child's or friend's name to show affection  
  
Junshin: "Innocence"  
  
otomo: younger sister  
  
Shojo-chan: "young girl", plus the added "-chan"  
  
montsuki: a kimono with a family or house's crest on it  
  
Hachisu: a formal word for "Lotus Blossom"  
  
-san: added on to a name; equivalent to "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Ms."  
  
chichi-ue: formal word for "father"; the added "ue" is also used to address people of high rank  
  
Kimiyo: a name meaning "righteous"  
  
Takasen: "Thousand-Talon"  
  
sake: Japanese fermented rice wine 


	6. An Assassin's Thoughts

italics/thoughts  
flashback  
see glossary at end for definition  
  
**Chapter Six  
Ansatsusha no Kangae [An Assassin's Thoughts]**  
  
"Uncle Ken, are we gonna come back soon?"  
  
"Yeah, can we, Uncle Ken?"  
  
Kenshin smiled down at the two young girls tugging eagerly to the hem of his hakama. "Certainly, Ayame and Sazumi. But for now you should go to bed and get some rest, that you should."  
  
He smiled and waved as the girls and their grandfather disappeared down the path. During the time he had stayed at the dojo, they had become like the little sisters he had never had. His smile faded.  
  
He turned to walk back to the dojo, and his hand brushed against his sakabata. Sometimes he wished that he had never picked up a blade, but he always wished that he had never taken another's life. Nothing gave him the right to end another's life. Nothing. Not even for the Hitokiri Battousai.  
  
He sighed as he slid the ::sudare:: shut behind him.

* * *

Miyuko stepped out from behind the tree, silently watching the screen to make sure he did not come out again. This was the man she was to kill? The man her employer said was so dangerous? Though he looked as though he could use the katana at his waist, Miyuko did not think that he would hurt a fly. Miyuko was used to more...challenging...targets. The man couldn't be a government official or the like, either, wearing those clothes and staying in such a small place--they just didn't do that. Why was he so important, then, enough so that her employer was willing to pay thrice the usual sum of money for his assassination?  
  
Pulling a black strip of cloth from her pouch, she folded it so that it made a sort-of mask. She tied it in a particular way, so that it both hid her face and held her hair back out of her eyes. Add that to her red-lined black hakama and haori set, now billowing in the wind, and she was a fearsome sight indeed.  
  
She waited until the lamps were turned off, standing as still as a rock. She counted the time off in her head silently, and after an hour and a half, decided that it was safe to make her move.  
  
She stepped with a silent grace that had been practiced and perfected for years, and moved quickly without a single rustle of cloth or shuffle of a footstep. The sudare made not a sound as she slid it open.  
  
Now where would he be...?  
  
She peered into the first room she came upon, but there just was a young boy with dark hair, snoring and sprawled out on his mat; he had been with the red-haired man earlier, she remembered. Miyuko moved on. The next room was empty, and the one after held a young woman, also with dark hair, slightly younger than Miyuko's age; she was one of his companions, as well. There were only two rooms after that, and both were empty. Gliding down the hall, she saw a sudare, left open, leading to the outside. She walked smoothly to it, stepping silently before the doorway. She drew her sakabata and slowly moved it forward so that she could check the reflection for any signs of trouble on the porch. She rotated it slightly, until its blade reflected the red-haired man.  
  
Surprisingly, he was sitting directly next to the screen opening, leaning against the wall with his head down and gripping his sword as he slept, in a position where he could not be seen until someone coming out was level with him. Very clever, but odd--that was a warrior's sleeping stance. Very odd. Could he actually have been a warrior, maybe during the Revolution? Possibly. But that did not matter now; a sleeping warrior, no matter how strong or skilled, was the same as anyone else when asleep: just as easy to kill. She stepped in front of him.  
  
Miyuko drew her katana, the one on her back. It was a long, dark katana, with red diamond-shapes set on a black handle, and the fang of a tiger fastened just above the hilt, . Her feared katana, ::Toramune::. The one she used for killings.  
  
She raised Toramune; both her hands held the hilt, which was hovering just below her chin, and were on the katana the opposite way, a good position for a downward thrust; that would make it a clean kill. Letting go with her left hand, she raised Toramune above her shoulder and prepared to strike...  
  
But for some reason she could not. There was no urge to kill, at all. Miyuko was shocked. Why couldn't she kill him? Her blade had slain countless, and now she couldn't kill one man?   
  
Why?  
  
Those two little girls they would probably cry if he died. He probably had friends, and family, and a wife who would cry, too. How had she felt when ::Akita:: had been...? Miyuko wrestled her thoughts away from that; this was no time for reminiscing, especially not about him. She would have to act quickly, before she paused again.  
  
Miyuko gripped the katana.  
  
_Why should you kill him?_ A little voice in the back of her head taunted. _Is taking another life, spilling more blood, and causing so much suffering really worth your pay in yen...?_  
  
_Yes_, she answered herself. _Other people are nothing to me. I suffered the fires of Hell, and they should feel it, too!_

_Akita suffered, too. Would **he** want this just for him?_  
  
She couldn't answer herself.  
  
Closing both her mind and her eyes, Miyuko thrust Toramune downward sharply at the man...  
  
...And she missed.

* * *

_sudare_: Japanese sliding paper-and-wood screen door  
Toramune: "Tiger Heart"  
Akita: a male's name meaning approximately "autumn rice field"


	7. YOUGOJITEN: GLOSSARY

**YOUGOJITEN: GLOSSARY  
**_(Arranged alphabetically; if you are interested in learning more about any of these terms or learning the kanji, please e-mail me. I also have information on websites where you can purchase your own kimono and school uniforms.)_

* * *

**Akabeko**: the "beef pot" shop where Kaoru's friend Tae-san works (as well as Yahiko and Tsubame), that Sano frequents (and frequently escapes paying his bill)  
**_aku_**: Japanese kanji for "bad" or "evil", written on the back of Sano's coat (link) 

**Battousai**: Kenshin's title, indicating that he is a master of all forms of battoujitsu, the art of drawing the katana  
** beef pot**: "gyuudon" in Japanese; in the Meiji Era, a new and popular way of eating beef with vegetables mixed together and served as stew in a single pot  
** bunko-taiko**: a styled way of tying the obi (link)

**"Che"**: an expression, equivalent to "Damn!" or "Shoot!"

**dojo**: a place where students can practice and are trained in the martial and sword arts

**"_Es ist mein schatz_"**: German (NOT Japanese) phrase, literally meaning "It is my treasure." (This has nothing to do with Kenshin, but "mein schatz", I believe, is the same phrase that Gollum uses in the German-dubbed version of the Lord of the Rings movies)

**Fang**: Miyuko's nickname for her sakabatou  
** furisode**: a formal kimono worn be unmarried women, with sleeves that are longer than a married woman's kimono; the sleeves reach past the waist, usually to about the knees, when the arms are level with the shoulders (this is the kind of kimono that Kaoru wears)(link)  
** futon**: Japanese-style bedding (basically consists of a sheet and a pad on the floor)

**hakama**: baggy pants with a slit on either side at the waist, usually (though not always) worn by men (like the ones Kenshin and **hakama-shita**: a robe-like top, worn tucked into the hakama (link)  
** haori**: a robe-like jacket, usually worn over a kimono or yukata (link)  
**hitokiri**: an assassin; when used with the name of a famous killer ("like Hitokiri Battousai") it becomes a title ("Assassin Battousai")

**"Ja ne"**: a phrase, equivalent to "See ya!" or "Later!", used mostly by males

**kanji**: Japanese characters (used in writing), adapted from Chinese; note that these characters differ from kana, the hiragana and katakana "alphabets" that are also used in writing, and that written Japanese is a mix of all three sets of characters (link)  
**Kaoru**: a name, represented by the kanji for "balmy/sweet-smelling"  
**katana**: a Japanese sword with a slightly curved blade  
**Kenshin**: a name, which combines the kanji for "sword" and "heart"  
**kimono**: a formal robe-style of dress worn by women (like the kind Kaoru wears, though hers is technically a furisode)  
**kunoichi**: a female ninja (like Misao); there were actually very few in actual Japanese history, despite their popularity today in movies and games (link)  
**_kusoyarou_**: like "yarou", but more insulting ("kuso" is literally "shit", though not quite as bad a swear as in English)

**"maggots"**: ("the deserving will be reborn into a better life...and the rest into maggots") Miyuko is referring to the Buddhist belief of incarnation; when one dies, they are reborn into either a better or worse position in life, depending on the amount of rights and wrongs that one has committed during their previous lifetimes (karma). Those who have done very poorly will be reincarnated into lower life forms, such as an untouchable, or even an animal (like a maggot or fly); those who have done averagely will be reincarnated into a similar style of life (if they were poor they will stay that way); those who have done well are reincarnated into a higher position in life (if they were born into a samurai family, perhaps this time they will be born into a noble family); those who have done the very highest will finally break the cycle of incarnation, and are allowed to join Buddha in Nirvana  
**Mii**: a woman's name, in this case short for "Miyuko" or "Kimiyo"  
**Miyuko**: a name, combining the kanji for "beautiful", "reason", and "child"

**obi**: the long, wide, sash wrapped around the waist of a kimono, and tied in sometimes intricate bows in the back (some kinds of obi include the butterfly, hanhaba, anesan, clam's mouth, and yanoji musubi ties)(link)  
** "Oro!"**: an expression said in times of surprise by Kenshin, meaning approximately "Huh?"; probably derived from the Japanese expression "Ara!" or "Oh!"

**rurouni**: (actually read as "rounin", but Watsuki-sensei was playing a prank) a masterless, wandering samurai

**Sagara**: a name, combining the kanji for "phase/mutual" and "pleasure/comfortable" sakabatou: a reverse-blade sword (like the one Kenshin has), on which the dull side of the blade is switched with the sharper side, so that one's attack does not d nearly as much damage as it would with a regular katana  
**_sake_**: Japanese fermented rice wine (as a side note, most Asians are very susceptible to alcohol of any kind; most get drunk quickly and easily get very red faces; this occurs frequently in anime)  
**sakura**: cherry blossoms, beloved by many Japanese; their cycle of life lasts only a month, beginning in late March and ending in mid- to late April.  
**samurai**: a Japanese warrior, serving under a lord or master  
**Sanosuke**: a name, combining the kanji for "left" and "help"  
** "Sa te"**: an expression, equivalent to "Well!"  
**Shizutora**: a combination of _shizu_ "silent" and _tora_ "tiger"  
**Shizuyo**: a name, combining the kanji for "silent" and "generation"  
** "Sou"**: an expression, equivalent to "I see" (not literally, but as in "I see what you're saying" or "Right")

**Toramune**: the name of Miyuko's katana, a combination of _tora_ "tiger" and _mune_ "heart/center of emotions"

**_yarou_**: a derogatory term, almost equivalent to "guy" or "dude"  
**yen**: Japanese monetary unit, actually pronounced as _en_ in Japanese


End file.
